Memories
by khnfghl
Summary: Second in a series of a few random post-game oneshots. Raine and Genis decide to visit their mother in Exire, even though she doesn't remember either of them...


Sorry for the whole "2 stories in one day" thing, I just have to get this up before I forget about it.

Story #2 in my series of random post game oneshots; Raine and Genis are taking a break, so they go to Exire to see their mother, even though she doesn't remember them. (If you never saw the "Raine's mother" scene/event/whatever, you should probably either do so or look it up be fore you read this story. It'll help.)

Rated K+ for the concept of insanity, which I honestly don't think really little kids would understand.

NOTE: It's been a while since I've seen the giant scene at the end of the game. Things might not match up perfectly.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Tales of Symphonia, but if i did, Presea would be much more lively.

--(gosh darned lack-of-line-ness...)--

Raine stood quietly and stared at the large concrete door. She was beginning to doubt her decision to go see her mother.

"Raine, are sure you want to do this?" Genis asked from behind her.

Raine nodded, shaking all of the doubt from her head.

Just as she reached for the doorknob, the door flew open, and Raine jumped back to avoid being hit with it.

"Would you please be quiet? Raine just fell asleep, and I don't want to wake her up." the woman said, cradling a small wooden baby doll in her arms.

This angered Raine. "Why won't you remember us!" she screamed. "We're your own _children_, and you still pretend not to know us!"

"Um, Raine," Genis said quietly. "I really don't think she's pre--"

"Be quiet!" Raine snapped.

"Please!" Virginia pleaded. "You're going to wake my baby!"

"It's not a baby; it's just a stupid_ doll_!!" Raine shouted.

"Don't say that about Raine!" Virginia screamed, almost as mad as Raine. Without thinking, she pushed Raine away so that she wouldn't hurt her "baby".

Raine hadn't expected that at all, and in temporary shock, she forgot to re-balance herself.

Genis watched in horror as his sister lost her footing and tumbled over the edge of the floating city...

"Look what you've done!!" he shouted. He shifted from foot to foot trying to think of what to do.

_Raine can't swim!! What should I do!? should I go get help-- no she'd drown... But I can't swim either!! We'll both die!! I guess I have no other choice..._

As Genis was about to jump off the edge of Exire, a firm hand grabbed ahold of his arm and pulled him back. It was Virginia.

"Here." she said holding out the baby doll to Genis. "Hold her."

To save face, Genis did as he was told. He took the doll and watched as the woman lept over the edge of the city to save Raine.

He headed into the nearby house. He needed to calm down and think this through...

--(I'm really wishing I could use the freaking lines)--

Genis sat quietly on the sofa, still holding onto the doll. He couldn't quite place what it was, but there was something about the doll that made him want to keep holding onto it. To treat it like a real baby... Something.

Then something went off and reminded Genis of the situation at hand.

_What am I doing, just sitting around in here?!_

He got off of the couch and ran out the door...

--(insert line thingy here)--

Genis ran over to Raine, who appeared to have just snapped back to consciousness. She was drenched, but at least she was alive. Standing next to her was an equally soaked Virginia. Genis had just noticed Virginia starting to walk somewhere when he felt Raine wrap her arms around him.

"Genis!"

"Raine, I'm so glad you're okay, I don't know what I would've done without you!"

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to..." Raine trailed off as she noticed Virginia picking up the baby doll that Genis had dropped between Raine and the house.

"Would you two come inside please?"

--(t.h.i.s.i.s.a.l.i.n.e.)--

Raine and Genis walked into the house to find Virginia setting the doll on top of a tall wooden bookshelf.

"Uhh... you shouldn't put a baby up that high." Genis said. He had recently decided to accept the fact that his mother had really gone insane, so he played along.

Virginia smiled at him. "Don't be silly, it's just a doll."

Raine was once again in shock. "...Mother?" she asked.

Next thing she knew, Virginia had wrapped her arms around Raine's shoulders. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Raine?" she asked gently.

Raine nodded her head, holding back tears.

Before long, the sudden realization became a tear-filled family group hug, and for the first time in a long time, Raine and Genis felt genuinely at home...

--(end-of-story)--

So why _does_ Virginia suddenly remember Raine and Genis? (shrugs) I guess that the shock of losing her husband was what sent her drifting away from reality, and apparently, the shock of almost losing her daughter was enough to bring her back into it.

(Okay, this not-being-able-to-use-the-horizontal-rulers thing is _seriously pissing me off_...)

Oh yeah, don't forget how much I love the purple button! :)


End file.
